Early Hetchins frames mostly used the Brilliant lug pattern. Pre-War frames differred more in their geometries than in their lug patterns. The lugs were based on Chater Lea components. Pre-War frames are easily identified by the flared head lugs: headset bearings were inside the head tube (an idea which was re-discovered 60 years later and incorporated on mountain bikes and racing bikes).

Brilliant lugs on a 1939 Anglo-Continental racing frame.

1938 Brilliant; note the pre-war fork crown.

It was a lot of work filing the longish points down; over the years they tended to get filed less and less. This 1943 Six-Day already has markedly longer lugs than the 1930s frames above.

The Brilliant proved to be a popular and durable pattern; a batch was made in 1953 and it reappeared in the 1958 catalog (the one pictured here is a 1962 frame with original paint). Longer points along the head tube and external headset bearing typify the post-War Brilliant.

|   Introduction   |   Editorial   |   The Hetchins Register  |

|   Restoration   |   Frame Identification (Serial Numbers)   |   The Various Models   |   Rare Models  |

|   Catalogs   |   Production History   |   Racing Heritage   |   Harry, Jack,& Alf   |   Special Features  |

|   Frame Components   |   Transfers   |   Lug Designs   |   Gallery  |

|   For Sale Used   |   New Production   |   Other Marques   |   Copycats  |

|   Contacts & Links   |   What's New   |  toc  |